Rolling-mill feed mechanism.



PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

C. W. BRAY. ROLLING MILL FEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22! 1903.

2 BHEBTS-8HEBT 1.

N0 MODEL.

INVEN'I'OR d/mwwm,

No. 767,730. I PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. O. W. BRAY. ROLLING MILL FEEDMECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. 1903. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

WITNESSII INVENTOR UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. BRAY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERI- CAN TINPLATE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLING-MILL FEED MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,730, dated August16, 1904.

Application filed May 22. 1903. Serial No. 158,221. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. BRAY, of

Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Rolling-Mill Feed Mechanism, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is asectional side elevation of the feed mechanism. Figs. 2 and 3 arerespectively a front elevation and an end elevation of the pivoted catchon the rear arm of the feeding mechanism. Fig. 4 is a side elevation ofa catch which may be used on the middle arms. Figs. 5 and 6 arerespectively a side elevation and a front elevation of the catch which Ishow applied to the front arm. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the apparatus,and Fig. 8 is a vertical cross=section on the line VIII VIII of Fig. 1.

The purpose of my invention is to provide means for feeding plates, suchas tin-plate bars, which as they issue from the rolls are too short tobe received directly upon an ordinary feed-table, and it effects thefeeding of such plates by moving arms, which move back and forth and intheir forward motion engage the plates and feed them.

In the drawings, 2 2 represent a set of rolls of a continuous mill, and3 3 a succeeding set in tandem therewith. Between these rolls is a table4, preferably composed of bars or rods on which the plate can travel,and 5 is a similar table, which leads to the rolls 2. The table 4 at itsend next to the rolls 2 is somewhat inclined downwardly, so that theemerging metal will be delivered with the aid of gravity clear of therolls and within the path of and in front of the catches,which Idescribe below.

Feeding mechanism is employed for feeding the plates to the rolls 2 andalso for feeding the plates to the rolls 3 after they have beendelivered from the rolls 2. In the form shown in the drawings itconsists of pusherarms 6 7 8, arranged in pairs and pivoted on shafts 67 8, supported by the housings of the rolls, the shafts 7 and 8 beingshown as supported by brackets 9 and the shaft 6' being the catch 16 asimilar pawl, but provided with a spring 16, which tends to restore itto normal position after it has been displaced, and the catch 17 I showas a gravity-catch mounted on a shaft 18, which extends between the arms8 and formed with a slot and key 6 0, which permit a limited oscillationof the pawl. As the range of carrying motion of the arms 8 is'thelongest, I prefer to set the shaft 18 in slots 19 at the lower ends ofthe arms 8 and to guide it by a slotted guide 20, which extends parallelwith the table 4.

In use of the apparatus the plates are brought to the table 5 by aconveyer, which may be constituted by an endless chain 21, and aredelivered thereby upon the table 5 in proximity to the rolls 2, or thepiece maybe delivered into the path of the arms 6 by the operator. Thearms 6 7 8 oscillate back and forth, as above described, and in thebackward motion of the arms 6 the catches 15 will yield forwardly, so asto slip over the plate; but on the forward movement of the arms thesecatches are held by engagement with the arms from turning backward, andengaging the rear end of the plate they will feed it forward positivelyto the rolls. The plate is then delivered from the rolls 2, and as thearms 7 oscillate the catches 16 slip over the plate in the rearwardmotion of the arms and in their forward motion engage'the edge of theplate and move it forward within the limits of motion of the arms 8. Thepivot-ed catches 17 of the arms 8 then engage the plate in like mannerand move it forward to the rolls 3. It will thus be seen that the plateis fed to the rolls by a very simple and effective combination ofmechanism which is easy to construct and easy to keep in repair, and thepositive and accurate feeding which it imparts to the metal renders thisoperation desirable and efficient.

Within the scope of my invention the apparatus may be lnodified. Thusthe form and construction of the catches may be changed and othermodifications may be made, as will be apparent to those skilled in theart.

I claim- 1. A tandem mill having two sets of rolls, an inclined tableleading from the first set, and an automatic feed mechanism arranged totransmit the metal from the incline toward the second set of rolls;substantially as described.

2. A mill having two or more sets of rolls arranged in tandem, aplurality of swinging arms arranged in tandem between two of the setsand having catches engaging the piece, one arm being arranged to receiveand transmit the metal from the preceding set of rolls and the other armbeing arranged to transmit it forwardly to the next set; substantiallyas described.

3. In a continuous mill, feeding mechanism comprising feeding-armsarranged to feed the metal into one set of rolls, an inclined tableleading therefrom,and arms working in unison with the feeding-arms andadapted to transengage the rear end of the plate and move it forwardly,a second set of arms arranged to engage the rear end of the plateadvanced by the first arms and feed it to the second set of rolls,andconnections arranged to continuously drive both sets of arms;substantiallyias described.

5. In apparatus for feeding bars or plates to rolls, a table having sideguides, a plurality of rear pushers arranged to move the plate forwardlybetween the guides, and connections for contin uously driving thepushers; substantially as described.

6. The combination with the feed-table hav-' ing longitudinal supportsand side guides, of an overhead swinging frame, having depending pushersarranged to force the bar forward, and connections arranged tocontinuously swing the frame back and forth; substantially as described.

7 A tandem mill having swinging pushers in front of a set of rolls,swinging pushers between said set and the next set of rolls, andconnections arranged to continuously swing said pushers back and forth;substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. CHARLES W. BRAY.

Witnesses: JOHN MILLER,

H. M. CORWIN.

